Eternal Mercy
by AkaiiDenetsu
Summary: More characters are used besides Sasuke and Sakura.Beginning thoughts in this fanfic are supposed to be the thoughts of Uchiha Sasuke. Each part has a different set of thoughts.Happens during Shippuden time skip series. NOTE: ne?  right?
1. I Love You

**"I love you."**

Those words mean nothing now. They are simply syllables of sound that silently trail off of incompetent lips. Lips that speak nothing but foolishness. Foolishness which entails your utmost defeat. Defeat is never an option.

You are not defeated by losing a fight---you are defeated by losing your life. When the last breath is pulled out and raked away from your gasping lungs; that is when you are truly defeated.

Death ends everything excluding eternity.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke stared lifelessly at his visitors. His cold, dark eyes were black holes; pulling everything in towards them, and pushing light away. "Ah, Sakura. And look, who else? Naruto. It's been awhile, friends. Good to see you." Sasuke smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You two surely have changed." Naruto growled, looking up at his long lost rival. "Shut up, Sasuke! You know why we're here! Come home," Naruto snarled. "now!" "Hmph. You've come to force me, ne? Well, it'll take a lot more than your petty words." Sasuke suddenly appeared in front of Naruto. Sakura was left speechless with nothing but a gasp to satisfy him. Sasuke placed his lips ever so close to his former comrade's ear. With his hand lightly placed on Naruto's opposite shoulder, he whispered; intending to speak only to fox boy. "There's a reason I didn't kill you back then, Naruto. I had to let you live for the time being. But look now. I can kill you," His voice was deep and emotionless. "right now." Sasuke drew his katana from it's sheath. He pulled it upward until it was firmly placed in his right hand. He turned his hand slightly to position himself. "You want to become Hokage, don't you Naruto. That's your dream, ne?" Naruto's eyes turned to Sasuke. "Well then, I'm about to shatter that dream. So, what will you do about that? Come on, Naruto. Kill me!" Sasuke chuckled. A smirk was wiped across his face. Naruto was digusted with how Sasuke had become---not with his strength or power, but with how he used it.

"Do it, Naruto! Are your dreams worth anything to you?" Sasuke held his katana in place above his victim. Naruto didn't move, and placed his voice to cold whispers. "How can someone who kills his best friend become Hokage?" Sasuke's eyes grew darker, and his smirk was taken away. "Naruto, you can't use kyuubi this time." Naruto was shocked that Sasuke knew, but tried to keep his stance. "How do you know about Kyuubi?" Sasuke smirked once more. "I saw it with my own eyes. I spoke to it---inside your mind." "What...what are you talking about?" Naruto's eyes studied Sasuke's expression. "I am an Uchiha. Have you forgotten? My Sharingan allowed me to look into your concious and see that beast that lives within you. The Nine-tailed Fox. Kyuubi." Naruto gritted his teeth. "Fine. Kill me. No one's stopping you." "Hmph."

Sasuke brought his sword mercilessly down, fully intending to slice his rival in two.

END OF PART 1


	2. Mercy

**Mercy.**

Shall I spare you? Should I leave you at peace?

You beg it of me. You plead for me to stop; to give it to you.

I would have killed you. I would have pryed the life from your hands. I would have ruined you forever.

But look now. You're alive. You're free. You are allowed so many things.

I am still here.

And you still live.

Naruto felt nothing. No wrenching pain came. Sweat ran down his cheek and onto his neck. Naruto looked in horror at what had occured. "Sakura...no! Stop!" Sakura was holding Sasuke's arm steady and would not let him move it. She had built up all of her chakra in her arms and had prevented Sasuke, for the time being, from killing her comrade. "So, you intend to act this time Sakura? Too bad you're a few years too late!" Sasuke whirled around letting Naruto loose, grabbing Sakura by the neck. Gripping her tightly, he pulled her close to him. "I do admit Sakura, it's good to see you after so long. Have you changed at all since I last saw you?" Sasuke smirked as Sakura glared at him. "S...S...Sas...Sasuke...kun...put...m...me...down!!!" Sakura focused chakra in her feet and kicked at his sides. Dropping her, Sasuke sheathed his blade. His stance changed to ready himself for combat. "Show me, Sakura." Sasuke ran after her. She stood her ground, then ducked and landed a kick across his jaw. Blood soared through the air and Sasuke finally smiled. _This is going to get interesting._  
Sakura rushed to him and grabbed the purple rope around his waist. Intentions of throwing him in the air were blocked as Sasuke grabbed her arm with lighting quick reflexes. He pulled her arm back and punched her shoulder downward. "Ah...AEEHHHHHH!!!" She screamed---her arm was dislocated.  
Falling to the ground, she screamed in pain. "You? A challenge? That will _never_ happen!" Sasuke glared, smirk on his face, directly towards her. "You end here." Sasuke drew his katana once more and slashed it into the young kunoichi's hips. Drawing back, her looked at what he had done. "You never once begged my to stop, Saku---" Sasuke's words faded as Sakura disappeared into smoke. Nothing was there. It was an illusion...and..."Hmph. Kage Bunshin-Shadow Clone Jutsu..." Sasuke turned to face Sakura in front of him. "Good work, Naruto!" She shouted. Naruto was directly behind Sasuke. "Didn't see it comin', did ya?" Naruto grinned and landed a well deserved punch in Sasuke's back. This pushed him forward, causing Sakura to act. Hands packed with chakra, she landed several punches over and over in Sasuke's stomach. Sasuke grabbed one of her punches and threw her to the side. She quickly got back to her feet and ran head on into Sasuke. "Nice try." He stared at her lifelessly. "You jerk! You left us, your best friends, as if we meant nothing to you!" Sakura viciously pounded her fists at him, while he blocked every single one. She wasn't building up chakra anymore. Tears stained her face. "That's not true, Sakura." Sasuke grabbed her hands and held her in place. "I left so I could find a way to destroy my brother. He killed my entire clan, with no mercy. When it came to me, I was too 'precious' to be killed by his hand. He let me run. He told me that if I wanted to kill him, I would have to hate him. But not just him, everyone else. I need power to kill him. Once he dies, I have no reason to live. I am...an avenger."  
Sasuke's voice wavered with hate and sorrow so strong that Sakura couldn't bear to hear him speak any longer. Tears burned her cheeks. "Sasuke...Sasuke-kun. Do you hate me?" Sakura released her strength. Sasuke looked deeply into her longing eyes. Naruto stood in shock of what was occuring. You could say he kept his mouth shut, but that wouldn't be entirely true. His mouth hung open as if it's hinge had been bent sideways.  
"Sakura. How could I _ever_ hate you?" Sakura's eyes deepened, and the dim light from the setting sun shone in them. "Sasuke-kun..." Sakura choked back her tears and held the rest in. "I've missed you...it's been so long..." Sakura lowered her voice; her tone steady. "It's been so long." Sakura searched Sasuke's vengeful eyes. "Too long." He whispered.


	3. Eternity

**Eternity.**

"How long does it last?"

You can't ask that. It doesn't "last", it just is. Eternity is, was, and will be.

It never ends.

Eternity is forever. You could compare it with Infinity. There is no end, no beginning. It's there;

It always will be.

* * *

Sakura tensed from the feel of the humid air around her. She couldn't bear the heat in this kind of situation. The same went for Naruto as he stared at Sasuke, who seemed as if he would break down any moment now.

"Sakura...Naruto...I'm sorry for what I did...but...I _must_ kill Itachi." His expression and tone of voice showed that he was being completely serious.  
"Why didn't you take me with you?" Sakura's voice pleaded for an answer. "You needed to train Sakura-chan! Besides, what would that have accomplished?" Her eyes widened at his response. Of course she needed training back then, but just look at her now! She had it, and was prepared for anything that came between her and her friends.

What did he mean by accomplishment?!!!

"What do you mean by that?!" She asked him, partially annoyed.

"I needed to go with Orochimaru. You think he would've kept you alive?! He would've killed you the minute he saw you!" Sasuke looked deeply into her eyes. Sakura's eyes soon blocked out all emotions. "Would you have allowed him to do that?" She said bitterly, filling her fists with chakra and landed several punches across "Sasuke's" face.  
"So, you knew." Sasuke's voice came from the towering rocks behind them.

He let out a quick chuckle. "You're much better than you used to be. Heh...much more _alert_." Naruto's shocked face twisted with anger. "Are you making fun of us Sasuke-teme?!!!!" Naruto glared at the raven-haired Uchiha. "You were over there the entire time..." Sakura whispered matter-of-factly.

His sharingan eyes glowed in what sunlight was actually left. Sasuke chuckled again, this time solemnly. "I really have missed _Team 7_." He smirked as best he could. "Seriously." The smirk disappeared from his face.  
Naruto gritted his teeth so hard that Sakura cringed from the awful sound. She was sure that blood would soon be spilled.

"Sasuke...if you kill your brother...will you come back to Konoha?" Sakura lowered her gaze from the rogue ninja. "I've killed Orochimaru, so that's out of the way. If I kill my brother; I will have no reason to avoid my home any longer. So...yes...I suppose...of course; that's just what _you'd_ want me to do, right Sakura-chan?"

The smirk that returned to his face was only for her, and she felt as if her skin had just been pierced by a thousand poisoned needles. She wanted him to come back more than anything. She wanted to be with him--to ensure the future of his clan. Sure, there were a lot of girls that liked Sasuke out there, but no one knew him like she did.

It wasn't a hoax that they were put on the same team. There had to be a reason. Same with Naruto. How much of a coincidence was this?

Sakura.

Sasuke.

Naruto.

Their destinies were intertwined.

* * *

**to be continued...**


End file.
